American Bar Association Team

Notre Dame Law School Moot Court

Back Row (left to right): Ian McKay (’23), Kathleen Ryan (’24), Lawrence Raia (’24), Ruby Borja (’24), Caleb Perez (’23),
Front Row: Anne Bennett Osteen (’24), Melissa Iannuzzi (’24), Dominique Marino (’23), Estella Serrano (’23)
Not Pictured: Matt Lazarski (’23), Jorge Rios (’23), Shivani Prakash (’24),

The ABA Team is one of our oldest and largest teams with six members from each class.

2021-2022 Team Captain: Kelley Guerra

American Bar Association Team

Our American Bar Association Team sends two teams to compete at the American Bar Association Law Student Division National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC). This competition requires students to participate in a hypothetical appeal to the United States Supreme Court.

Last year, the problem focused on the qualified immunity doctrine. In 2020, the competition looked at the Civil Rights Law through a lawsuit concerning the First Amendment and the rights of public employees.

*Alumni please contact ND Moot Court if you would like to add any information regarding your team or have any information about a tournament accomplishment not displayed here.

Recent Accomplishments

2021-2022

Competing virtually in 2022, Hunter Van Asten (’22) and Grant Semonin (’22) advanced to the semifinals, and Kelley Guerra (’22) and Jaylen Amaker (’22) advanced to the final round. Both teams were supported by brief writers Andraya Flor (’22) and Lindsey Schmidt (’22). The 2022 topic involved the Americans with Disabilities Act.

2020-2021

Competing virtually in 2021, both of our ABA Teams won multiple rounds, arguing topics involving the Civil Rights Law and the First Amendment. May Gunther (’21) received the top oralist award for the Brooklyn Regional.

2019-2020

Left to right: Christina Hopke (’20), Kathryn Wilheir (’20), Rebecca Pronesti (’20), Carol Li (’20), Marcus Dessalgne (’20)

In 2020, both of our ABA Teams competed in Philadelphia and explored the qualified-immunity doctrine. Christina Hopke (’20) won 4th Best Brief out of 32 teams, and Courtney Zeitz (’20), Carol Li (’20), and Rebecca Pronesti (’20) advanced to the final round of 8.